1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alternator that is mounted to a vehicle, for example, and that includes a rectifier apparatus that rectifies alternating current that is generated in a stator coil of a stator into direct current.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional automotive alternators are known that include: a case; a shaft that is rotatably supported in the case; a rotor that is fixed to the shaft; a stator that is constituted by: a stator core that is fixed to an inner wall surface of the case; and a stator coil that is configured by winding conducting wire onto the stator core; and a rectifier apparatus that is disposed inside the case and that is electrically connected to the stator coil so as to rectify alternating current generated in the stator coil into direct current, the rectifier apparatus having: a heatsink; a plurality of diodes that are fixed to the heatsink; and a circuit board that connects the diodes and the stator coil electrically and that is fixed to the case so as to be supported together with the heatsink by mount portions at three points at a uniform pitch (see Patent Literature 1, for example).
[Patent Literature 1]
International Publication No. 2006/033136 (Pamphlet: FIG. 4)
In recent years, additional increases in output are being required of automotive alternators, which constitute electrical components mounted to vehicles, and reductions in size are also required in order to meet increased density in engine compartments. The service environments thereof are also severe, naturally making it desirable to include high product performance such as environmental resistance, vibration resistance, etc.
In automotive alternators that have the above configuration, although the circuit board is fixed to the case by three mount portions, terminals between each of the mount portions are connected only to diode leads or connected to the stator coil.
Thus, because the circuit board substantially forms a bridge between the mount portions, vibrational modes arise easily and large vibrations act on the plurality of diodes leads that are connected to the terminals between each of the mount portions, leading to problems such as diode lead breakage, diode damage, etc., and in the worst cases, the rectifier apparatus itself may cease to function.
When attempts have been made to secure additional mount portions for the circuit board in response thereto, there have been problems such as the automotive alternator being increased in size.